ItoldhimthatIhadbutdonemyduty，andurgedhimtoproceedtothematterwhichweigheduponhismind。Hethenspokenearlyasfollows：
’IcameindrunkonFridaynightlast，andgottomybedhere；Idon’trememberhow。SometimeinthenightitseemedtomeIwakened，andfeelingunasyinmyself，Igotupoutofthebed。Iwantedthefreshair；butIwouldnotmakeanoisetoopenthewindow，forfearI’dwakenthecrathurs。Itwasverydarkandthroublesometofindthedoor；butatlastIdidgetit，andIgropedmywayout，andwentdownasasyasIcould。I
feltquitesober，andIcountedthestepsoneafteranother，asIwasgoingdown，thatImightnotstumbleatthebottom。
’WhenIcametothefirstlanding-place——Godbeaboutusalways!——thefloorofitsunkunderme，andIwentdown——down——
down，tillthesensesalmostleftme。IdonotknowhowlongIwasfalling，butitseemedtomeagreatwhile。WhenI
camerightlytomyselfatlast，Iwassittingnearthetopofagreattable；
andIcouldnotseetheendofit，ifithadany，itwassofaroff。Andtherewasmenbeyondreckoning，sittingdownallalongbyit，ateachside，asfarasI
couldseeatall。Ididnotknowatfirstwasitintheopenair；buttherewasaclosesmotheringfeelinitthatwasnotnatural。Andtherewasakindoflightthatmyeyesightneversawbefore，redandunsteady；andIdidnotseeforalongtimewhereitwascomingfrom，untilIlookedstraightup，andthenIseenthatitcamefromgreatballsofblood-colouredfirethatwererollinghighoverheadwithasortofrushing，tremblingsound，andIperceivedthattheyshoneontheribsofagreatroofofrockthatwasarchedoverheadinsteadofthesky。WhenIseenthis，scarceknowingwhatIdid，Igotup，andIsaid，“Ihavenorighttobehere；Imustgo。“
Andthemanthatwassittingatmylefthandonlysmiled，andsaid，“Sitdownagain；youcanNEVERleavethisplace。“Andhisvoicewasweakerthananychild’svoiceIeverheerd；andwhenhewasdonespeakinghesmiledagain。
’ThenIspokeoutveryloudandbold，andIsaid，“InthenameofGod，letmeoutofthisbadplace。“AndtherewasagreatmanthatIdidnotseebefore，sittingattheendofthetablethatIwasnear；andhewastallerthantwelvemen，andhisfacewasveryproudandterribletolookat。
Andhestoodupandstretchedouthishandbeforehim；andwhenhestoodup，allthatwasthere，greatandsmall，boweddownwithasighingsound，andadreadcameonmyheart，andhelookedatme，andI
couldnotspeak。IfeltIwashisown，todowhathelikedwith，forIknewatoncewhohewas；andhesaid，“Ifyoupromisetoreturn，youmaydepartforaseason；“andthevoicehespokewithwasterribleandmournful，andtheechoesofitwentrollingandswellingdowntheendlesscave，andmixingwiththetremblingofthefireoverhead；sothatwhenhesatdowntherewasasoundafterhim，allthroughtheplace，liketheroaringofafurnace，andIsaid，withallthestrengthIhad，“I
promisetocomeback——inGod’snameletmego!“
’AndwiththatIlostthesightandthehearingofallthatwasthere，andwhenmysensescametomeagain，I
wassittinginthebedwiththebloodalloverme，andyouandtherestprayingaroundtheroom。’
Herehepausedandwipedawaythechilldropsofhorrorwhichhunguponhisforehead。
Iremainedsilentforsomemoments。
Thevisionwhichhehadjustdescribedstruckmyimaginationnotalittle，forthiswaslongbeforeVathekandthe’HallofEblis’haddelightedtheworld；
andthedescriptionwhichhegavehad，asIreceivedit，alltheattractionsofnoveltybesidetheimpressivenesswhichalwaysbelongstothenarrationofanEYE-WITNESS，whetherinthebodyorinthespirit，ofthesceneswhichhedescribes。Therewassomething，too，inthesternhorrorwithwhichthemanrelatedthesethings，andintheincongruityofhisdescription，withthevulgarlyreceivednotionsofthegreatplaceofpunishment，andofitspresidingspirit，whichstruckmymindwithawe，almostwithfear。Atlengthhesaid，withanexpressionofhorrible，imploringearnestness，whichIshallneverforget——
’Well，sir，isthereanyhope；isthereanychanceatall？or，ismysoulpledgedandpromisedawayforever？isitgoneoutofmypower？mustIgobacktotheplace？’
Inansweringhim，Ihadnoeasytasktoperform；forhoweverclearmightbemyinternalconvictionofthegroundlessnessofhistears，andhoweverstrongmyscepticismrespectingtherealityofwhathehaddescribed，Ineverthelessfeltthathisimpressiontothecontrary，andhishumilityandterrorresultingfromit，mightbemadeavailableasnomeanenginesintheworkofhisconversionfromprodigacy，andofhisrestorationtodecenthabits，andtoreligiousfeeling。
Ithereforetoldhimthathewastoregardhisdreamratherinthelightofawarningthaninthatofaprophecy；thatoursalvationdependednotuponthewordordeedofamoment，butuponthehabitsofalife；that，infine，ifheatoncediscardedhisidlecompanionsandevilhabits，andfirmlyadheredtoasober，industrious，andreligiouscourseoflife，thepowersofdarknessmightclaimhissoulinvain，forthattherewerehigherandfirmerpledgesthanhumantonguecouldutter，whichpromisedsalvationtohimwhoshouldrepentandleadanewlife。
Ilefthimmuchcomforted，andwithapromisetoreturnuponthenextday。I
didso，andfoundhimmuchmorecheerfulandwithoutanyremainsofthedoggedsullennesswhichIsupposehadarisenfromhisdespair。Hispromisesofamendmentweregiveninthattoneofdeliberateearnestness，whichbelongstodeepandsolemndetermination；anditwaswithnosmalldelightthatIobserved，afterrepeatedvisits，thathisgoodresolutions，sofarfromfailing，didbutgatherstrengthbytime；andwhenIsawthatmanshakeofftheidleanddebauchedcompanions，whosesocietyhadforyearsformedalikehisamusementandhisruin，andrevivehislongdiscardedhabitsofindustryandsobriety，Isaidwithinmyself，thereissomethingmoreinallthisthantheoperationofanidledream。
Oneday，sometimeafterhisperfectrestorationtohealth，Iwassurprisedonascendingthestairs，forthepurposeofvisitingthisman，tofindhimbusilyemployedinnailingdownsomeplanksuponthelanding-place，throughwhich，atthecommencementofhismysteriousvision，itseemedtohimthathehadsunk。I
perceivedatoncethathewasstrengtheningthefloorwithaviewtosecuringhimselfagainstsuchacatastrophe，andcouldscarcelyforbearasmileasIbid’Godblesshiswork。’
Heperceivedmythoughts，Isuppose，forheimmediatelysaid：
’Icanneverpassoverthatfloorwithouttrembling。I’dleavethishouseifI
could，butIcan’tfindanotherlodginginthetownsocheap，andI’llnottakeabettertillI’vepaidoffallmydebts，pleaseGod；butIcouldnotbeasyinmymindtillImadeitassafeasIcould。You’llhardlybelieveme，yourhonour，thatwhileI’mworking，maybeamileaway，myheartisinaflutterthewholewayback，withthebarethoughtsofthetwolittlestepsI
havetowalkuponthisbitofafloor。Soit’snowonder，sir，I’dthrytomakeitsoundandfirmwithanyidletimberI
have。’
Iapplaudedhisresolutiontopayoffhisdebts，andthesteadinesswithwhichheperusedhisplansofconscientiouseconomy，andpassedon。
Manymonthselapsed，andstillthereappearednoalterationinhisresolutionsofamendment。Hewasagoodworkman，andwithhisbetterhabitsherecoveredhisformerextensiveandprofitableemployment。
Everythingseemedtopromisecomfortandrespectability。Ihavelittlemoretoadd，andthatshallbetoldquickly。IhadoneeveningmetPatConnell，ashereturnedfromhiswork，andasusual，afteramutual，andonhissiderespectfulsalutation，I
spokeafewwordsofencouragementandapproval。Ilefthimindustrious，active，healthy——whennextIsawhim，notthreedaysafter，hewasacorpse。
Thecircumstanceswhichmarkedtheeventofhisdeathweresomewhatstrange——Imightsayfearful。Theunfortunatemanhadaccidentallymetanearlyfriendjustreturned，afteralongabsence，andinamomentofexcitement，forgettingeverythinginthewarmthofhisjoy，heyieldedtohisurgentinvitationtoaccompanyhimintoapublic-house，whichlayclosebythespotwheretheencounterhadtakenplace。
Connell，however，previouslytoenteringtheroom，hadannouncedhisdeterminationtotakenothingmorethanthestrictesttemperancewouldwarrant。
Butoh!whocandescribetheinveteratetenacitywithwhichadrunkard’shabitsclingtohimthroughlife？Hemayrepent——hemayreform——hemaylookwithactualabhorrenceuponhispastprofligacy；
butamidallthisreformationandcompunction，whocantellthemomentinwhichthebaseandruinouspropensitymaynotrecur，triumphingoverresolution，remorse，shame，everything，andprostratingitsvictimoncemoreinallthatisdestructiveandrevoltinginthatfatalvice？
Thewretchedmanlefttheplaceinastateofutterintoxication。Hewasbroughthomenearlyinsensible。andplacedinhisbed，wherehelayinthedeepcalmlethargyofdrunkenness。Theyoungerpartofthefamilyretiredtorestmuchaftertheirusualhour；butthepoorwiferemainedupsittingbythefire，toomuchgrievedandshockedattheoccur-
renceofwhatshehadsolittleexpected，tosettletorest；fatigue，however，atlengthovercameher，andshesankgraduallyintoanuneasyslumber。Shecouldnottellhowlongshehadremainedinthisstate，whensheawakened，andimmediatelyonopeninghereyes，sheperceivedbythefaintredlightofthesmoulderingturfembers，twopersons，oneofwhomsherecognisedasherhusband，noiselesslyglidingoutoftheroom。
’Pat，darling，whereareyougoing？’
saidshe。Therewasnoanswer——thedoorclosedafterthem；butinamomentshewasstartledandterrifiedbyaloudandheavycrash，asifsomeponderousbodyhadbeenhurleddownthestair。Muchalarmed，shestartedup，andgoingtotheheadofthestaircase，shecalledrepeatedlyuponherhusband，butinvain。Shereturnedtotheroom，andwiththeassistanceofherdaughter，whomIhadoccasiontomentionbefore，shesucceededinfindingandlightingacandle，withwhichshehurriedagaintotheheadofthestaircase。
Atthebottomlaywhatseemedtobeabundleofclothes，heapedtogether，motionless，lifeless——itwasherhusband。Ingoingdownthestair，forwhatpurposecannevernowbeknown，hehadfallenhelplesslyandviolentlytothebottom，andcomingheadforemost，thespineattheneckhadbeendislocatedbytheshock，andinstantdeathmusthaveensued。Thebodylayuponthatlanding-placetowhichhisdreamhadreferred。Itisscarcelyworthendeavouringtoclearupasinglepointinanarrativewhereallismystery；
yetIcouldnothelpsuspectingthatthesecondfigurewhichhadbeenseenintheroombyConnell’swifeonthenightofhisdeath，mighthavebeennootherthanhisownshadow。Isuggestedthissolutionofthedifficulty；butshetoldmethattheunknownpersonhadbeenconsiderablyinadvanceoftheother，andonreachingthedoor，hadturnedbackasiftocommunicatesomethingtohiscompanion。Itwasthenamystery。
Wasthedreamverified？——whitherhadthedisembodiedspiritsped？——whocansay？Weknownot。ButIleftthehouseofdeaththatdayinastateofhorrorwhichIcouldnotdescribe。ItseemedtomethatIwasscarceawake。Iheardandsaweverythingasifunderthespellofanight-mare。Thecoincidencewasterrible。
EndThePurcellPapers，Volume2
byJosephSheridanLeFanuWithaMemoirbyALFREDPERCEVALGRAVES
CONTENTSOFVOL。II——
PASSAGEINTHESECRETHISTORYOFANIRISHCOUNTESS
THEBRIDALOFCARRIGVARAH
STRANGEEVENTINTHELIFEOFSCHALKENTHEPAINTER
SCRAPSOFHIBERNIANBALLADS
THEPURCELLPAPERS。
PASSAGEINTHE
SECRETHISTORYOFANIRISH
COUNTESS。
BeingaFifthExtractfromtheLegacyofthelateFrancisPurcell，P。P。ofDrumcoolagh。
Thefollowingpaperiswritteninafemalehand，andwasnodoubtcommunicatedtomymuch-regrettedfriendbytheladywhoseearlyhistoryitservestoillustrate，theCountessD。Sheisnomore——shelongsincedied，achildlessandawidowedwife，and，asherlettersadlypredicts，nonesurvivetowhomthepublicationofthisnarrativecanprove’injurious，orevenpainful。’